Cowell attacks 'stupid' Rage campaign

Simon Cowell has hit out at a Facebook-led campaign to get Rage Against The Machine's 1992 single 'Killing In The Name' to No.1 this Christmas.

Speaking at the press conference for this weekend's X Factor final, the show boss claimed that the timing of the show dictated the release date of the winner's single.

Cowell said: "Everyone has this slightly distorted image of Christmas No.1s being incredible. There was that ghastly Cliff Richard thing a few years ago [and] Bob The Builder. We haven't exactly taken away anything special.

"I think the campaign is aimed directly at me - it's stupid. Me having a No.1 record at Christmastime is not going to change my life particularly."

He added: "I think it's quite a cynical campaign geared at me that is actually going to spoil the party for these three [finalists].

"I also think it's incredibly dismissive of the people who watch and enjoy the show when they treat our audience as if they're stupid. I don't like that."

Campaigner Jon Morter previously told NME: "We've nothing personal against him [Cowell] at all, we just do not want yet another Christmas chart-topper from that show again."

He added that he was "not fussed" that the Rage Against The Machine single is available through Sony, the umbrella firm for Cowell's Syco label, because "for me it was the song that's important".